Didi 34

Description

The Didi 34 is a compact, high-performance cruiser-racer designed by South African naval architect Dudley Dix in the mid-1990s, serving as a smaller, more cruising-oriented sister to his influential Didi 38 (which Dix built as a prototype in 1994-95 to pioneer the radius chine plywood concept). Drawing inspiration from Dix's award-winning CW 975 (winner of the 1979 Cruising World Design Competition, which he owned and sailed for seven years), the Didi 34 updates that classic with modern plywood construction for affordability and amateur buildability. It's optimized for coastal cruising, weekend overnights, or club racing with short-handed crews (1-3 people), offering a balance of speed, stability, and comfort in a trailerable package (though at 34 feet, it requires a substantial trailer). The design emphasizes easy handling via a fractional rig, while the slender hull and efficient keel provide lively performance in light to moderate winds. As of October 2025, several dozen plan sets have been sold worldwide, with completed builds (e.g., in South Africa, the US, and Europe) lauded for their seaworthiness and value, often compared favorably to fiberglass production boats like the J/105 for DIY enthusiasts seeking performance without the premium price.